The present invention relates to a hair cosmetic composition for removing an acid hair-dye composition from the hair.
Conventionally, in order to remove a hair dye composition from the hair, bleaching agents have been employed. However, bleaching agents damage the hair, and involve some further drawbacks; i.e., the agents decompose melanin contained in the hair, and make the hair color bright. In order to improve the removal of such a hair dye composition, a dye-removing composition containing a sulfite salt has been proposed (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokal) No. 4-356413). However, this composition does not remove the hair-dye composition satisfactorily, and also damages the hair.
For removing a hair dye composition adhering to the skin, a dye-removing composition containing a cation surfactant, benzyloxyethanol, and a C2-C4 lower alcohol has been proposed (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 8-48611).
However, when the dye-removing composition is employed, although hair dye compositions adhering to the skin can be removed, the dye compositions cannot be efficiently removed from the hair.
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide a hair cosmetic composition which does not damage the hair, and facilitates removal of an acid hair-dye composition.
The present inventors have found that a dye-removing composition employed for removing an acid hair-dye composition adhering to the skin affects the hair differently than it affects the skin, and thus the hair-dye composition cannot be removed from the hair by use of the dye-removing composition; and that, when a dye-removing composition containing an alkaline ingredient is applied to the hair, the acid hair-dye composition can be efficiently removed from the hair, and the dye-removing composition does not damage the hair. The present invention has been accomplished on the basis of these findings.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an alkaline hair cosmetic composition comprising the following ingredients (A), (B), (C), and (D):
(A) a cationic surfactant;
(B) one or more organic solvents selected from among an N-alkylpyrrolidone, a lower alkylene carbonate, and an aromatic alcohol;
(C) a lower alcohol or a lower polyol; and
(D) an alkaline ingredient.
The present invention also provides a method for removing a hair dye composition from the hair, which comprises applying the hair cosmetic composition to hair which has been dyed with a hair dye composition; and subsequently rinsing the hair.
Examples of ingredient (A), which is a cationic surfactant employed in the present invention, include compounds represented by the following formula (1) or (2): 
(in formula (1), at least one of R1, R2, R3, and R4 represents a linear or branched C8-C36 alkyl group or hydroxyalkyl group, or a benzyl group, each of the remaining of these represents a C1-C3 alkyl group or hydroxyalkyl group, and X represents a halogen atom or a C1-C2 alkylsulfuric group; and in formula (2), R5 represents a linear or branched C8-C36 alkyl group, and Y represents a halogen atom.)
In formulas (1) and (2), a C8-C36 alkyl group or hydroxyalkyl group represented by R1 through R5 is preferably a C10-C36 alkyl group or a hydroxyalkyl group.
Specific examples of ingredient (A) include lauryltrimethylammonium chloride, cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, stearyltrimethylammonium chloride, behenyltrimethylammonium chloride, stearyltrimethylammonium bromide, lauryltrimethylammonium bromide, behenyltrimethylammonium chloride, isostearyltrimethylammonium chloride, dicetyldimethylammonium chloride, distearyldimethylammonium chloride, dicocoyldimethylammonium chloride, myristyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, stearyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, laurylpyridinium chloride, cetylpyridinium chloride, and benzalkonium chloride.
Ingredient (A) is preferably lauryltrimethylammonium chloride, cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, stearyltrimethylammonium chloride, behenyltrimethylammonium chloride, or distearyldimethylammonium chloride. Of these, behenyltrimethylammonium chloride is more preferable.
One or more cationic surfactants may be employed as ingredient (A). In order to satisfactorily remove a hair dye composition, ingredient (A) is preferably incorporated in an amount of 0.05-10 wt. %, more preferably 0.1-5 wt. %, on the basis of the entirety of the hair cosmetic composition.
Ingredient (B), which is an organic solvent employed in the present invention, is selected from among N-alkylpyrrolidone, lower alkylene cartbonate, and aromatic alcohol. Examples of N-alkylpyrrolidone include N-methylpyrrolidone and N-ethylpyrrolidone: examples of lower alkylene carbonate include ethylene carbonate and propylene carbonate; and examples of aromatic alcohol include benzyl alcohol, benzyloxyethanol, and xcex2-phenylethyl alcohol.
Ingredient (B) is preferably N-methylpyrrolidone, benzyl alcohol, or benzyloxyethanol. Of these, benzyl alcohol or benzyloxyethanol is more preferable.
One or more organic solvents may be employed as ingredient (B). In order to satisfactorily remove a hair dye composition, ingredient (B) is preferably incorporated in an amount of 0.1-40 wt. %, more preferably 1-30 wt. %, much more preferably 5-20 wt. %, on the basis of the entirety of the hair cosmetic composition.
Ingredient (C) employed in the present invention is one or more species selected from among lower alcohols and lower polyols. Preferably, C2-C6 lower alcohols or lower polyols are employed. Specific examples include ethanol, isopropanol, n-propanol, n-butanol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, isoprene glycol, hexylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, glycerin, and diglycerin.
Ingredient (C) is more preferably ethanol, isopropanol, or 1,3-butylene glycol. When a water-soluble polymer is employed as ingredient (E); i.e., a thickener, ethanol and 1,3-butylene glycol are preferably employed in combination in order to disperse the water-soluble polymer in the hair cosmetic composition.
Ingredient (C) is preferably incorporated in an amount of 0.1-50 wt. %, more preferably 5-30 wt. %, on the basis of the entirety of the hair cosmetic composition.
Examples of ingredient (D); i.e., an alkaline ingredient employed in the present invention, include strong aqueous ammonia; monoethanolamine; diethanolamine; triethanolamine; isopropanolamine; diisopropanolamine; triisopropanolamine; 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol; sodium carbonate; sodium hydrogencarbonate; hydroxides of alkali metal, such as sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide; and fatty acid salts, such as sodium oleate, sodium stearate, and triethanolamine stearate.
In order to facilitate removal of a hair dye composition, ingredient (D) is more preferably triethanolamine or monoethanolamine.
One or more alkaline ingredients may be employed as ingredient (D). Ingredient (D) is preferably incorporated in an amount of 0.01-10 wt. %, more preferably 0.1-5 wt. %, much more preferably 0.5-2.5 wt. %, on the basis of the entirety of the hair cosmetic composition. This is because, when the composition contains ingredient (D) in such an amount, even if the composition adheres to the skin, the composition does not irritate the skin.
When the hair cosmetic composition of the present invention contains a thickener (ingredient (E).) in addition to the aforementioned ingredients, the composition becomes easy to handle, and enables removal of a dye from a portion of dyed hair; e.g., from some strands of dyed hair. Furthermore, application of the composition to unnecessary portions (e.g., the scalp) may be prevented, and running of the composition into the eyes or to the forehead or the ears is prevented. In addition, when ingredient (E) is employed in combination with a specific cationic surfactant (ingredient (A)), damage of the composition to the skin can be reduced. Ingredient (E) is preferably a water-soluble polymer, more preferably a nonionic water-soluble polymer such as hydroxyethyl cellulose or hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, or a cationic water-soluble polymer such as cationized cellulose.
Ingredient (E) may be a combination of two or more species. In order to improve handling of the hair cosmetic composition, and to reduce damage of the composition to the skin, ingredient (E) is preferably incorporated in an amount of 0.1-20 wt. %, more preferably 0.5-10 wt. %, much more preferably 0.8-5 wt. %, on the basis of the entirety of the composition.
The hair cosmetic composition of the present invention may further contain appropriate amounts of widely-used cosmetic ingredients, such as nonionic surfactants, amphipathic surfactants, paraffin oils, lanoline, higher alcohols, oil agents such as silicone oil, bactericides, hair-growing and hair-nourishing agents, preservatives, anti-dandruff agents, and perfumes, so long as they do not impair the effect of the present invention.
The hair cosmetic composition of the present invention may be produced through a customary process. In order to facilitate removal of a dye, the composition preferably has a pH falling within an alkali region, more preferably a pH of 8-12, much more preferably a pH of 9-11.
The product form of the hair cosmetic composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and the composition may assume any product form of liquid, emulsion, cream, gel, paste, aerosol, and aerosol foam. Of these, a form of emulsion, cream, gel, or paste is preferable, since a product of such a form is easy to use.
The hair cosmetic composition of the present invention is used, for example, as follows. An appropriate amount of the composition is applied to hair which has been dyed with an acid hair-dye composition. Subsequently, the hair is allowed to stand at preferably 10-50xc2x0 C. for 3 to 30 minutes, and then the hair is rinsed.